Leo Martínez
In the 1964 James Bond film *Goldfinger*, Shirley Eaton gained bombshell status for her appearance as Bond Girl Jill Masterson, who is killed by the titular villain, Auric Goldfinger, by being painted gold. Eaton's performance in the film was so memorable that it sparked rumours that she had died during filming, or at least fallen ill, which were fuelled by Bond's explanation of the cause of death in the film: skin suffocation. However, Eaton did not suffer any ill effects from the gold paint, and she went on to make several more films before retiring from acting in 1969 to devote herself to her family.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the actress | Shirley Eaton |
| Name of the character | Jill Masterson |
| Name of the movie | Goldfinger |
| Year of the movie | 1964 |
| Retirement year | 1969 |
| Autobiography | Golden Girl |
| Cause of death in the movie | Asphyxiation/Skin suffocation |
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What You'll Learn
- Shirley Eaton, the actress who played the girl painted gold, did not die or become ill as a result of the scene
- Eaton's stomach was left unpainted to allow her skin to breathe
- Doctors were on set in case Eaton suffered heat exhaustion or an allergic reaction to the paint
- Eaton's character, Jill Masterson, was killed by Auric Goldfinger after she tried to foil his plot
- Eaton's performance as Jill Masterson earned her Bond Girl status and she became known as a bombshell
Shirley Eaton, the actress who played the girl painted gold, did not die or become ill as a result of the scene
Shirley Eaton, the actress who played Jill Masterson, the girl painted gold in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, did not die or become ill as a result of the scene. Eaton's character is killed in the film when the titular villain, Auric Goldfinger, paints her entire body gold, causing her to die of skin suffocation. However, in reality, Eaton did not suffer any ill effects from the gold paint.
Doctors were present on set to monitor Eaton during the filming of the scene, and they ensured that a patch of her skin was left unpainted to allow her skin to breathe. While there was concern about possible reactions, such as heat exhaustion or an allergic reaction to the paint, Eaton did not experience any adverse effects. In fact, she recalled that while the paint was hot, she had "fun" during the shoot.
The scene in Goldfinger contributed to Eaton's "bombshell" status and she went on to have a successful career in British films throughout the 1950s and 1960s, including appearances in the early Carry On films. She retired from acting in 1969 to devote herself to her family but later came out of retirement to publish several books, including an autobiography titled Golden Girl, which became a bestseller.
Eaton's experience with the body paint in Goldfinger has not affected her fondness for gold. In an interview, she stated that she wears gold often and has always liked the metal for its warmth. This is evident in her later book, Golden Girl Shirley Eaton: Her Reflections, which features photos from her film career, and another book showcasing her art and photography, titled Shirley Eaton, Bond's Golden Girl; Her Own Art Gallery.
In conclusion, despite the memorable and dramatic scene in Goldfinger, Shirley Eaton did not suffer any ill health effects from being painted gold. Her successful career and subsequent retirement demonstrate that the actress thrived long after her golden Bond girl days.
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Eaton's stomach was left unpainted to allow her skin to breathe
In the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, Shirley Eaton played Jill Masterson, Goldfinger's secretary who betrays him and is killed by being painted gold. Eaton's stomach was left unpainted to allow her skin to breathe. Although it was believed at the time that covering the entire body with paint would cause death, this is a myth. In fact, Eaton did not suffer any ill effects from the paint, and she went on to make several more films before retiring from acting in 1969 to focus on her family.
The scene in question was shot with doctors standing by in case Eaton suffered heat exhaustion or an allergic reaction to the paint. It took two hours to gild her body, which was immediately scrubbed after the scene. Eaton herself has said that the paint was very hot, but that she had "fun" being the first Bond girl. She has since published several books, including an autobiography titled Golden Girl, and continues to wear gold often, saying that she has "always liked gold as a metal for its warmth".
The image of Eaton's golden corpse is one of the most memorable in film history and was featured prominently in promotional materials for the film, including the cover of Life magazine. In the film, Bond explains that Masterson died of "skin suffocation", a condition known to happen to cabaret dancers if they do not leave a small bare patch of skin to allow the skin to breathe. This view was shared by the director, who ensured that Eaton's stomach remained unpainted during the scene.
Despite the director's precaution, rumours persisted that Eaton had died or fallen ill as a result of the gold paint. In reality, Eaton's experience with the body paint did not affect her health or her fondness for the metal. She has published several books about her life and career, including one titled Under My Skin, which was released to coincide with Goldfinger's golden anniversary in 2014.
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Doctors were on set in case Eaton suffered heat exhaustion or an allergic reaction to the paint
In the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, Shirley Eaton, playing Jill Masterson, gained bombshell status for her role as a girl painted gold. Eaton's character is killed by the titular villain, Auric Goldfinger, who paints her entire body gold. James Bond explains that covering a person with paint will cause death because the body "breathes" through the skin. However, this is a myth.
In reality, doctors were on set to ensure Eaton remained safe during the filming of this scene. They were there in case Eaton suffered heat exhaustion from the blockage of perspiration or an allergic reaction to the paint. Eaton herself spoke about how hot the gold paint was, but also about how much fun she had being a Bond girl.
The process of gilding Eaton's body took two hours, and her stomach was left unpainted to allow her skin to "breathe". Eaton did not suffer any ill effects from the paint, and she went on to make a few more films before retiring from acting in 1969 to devote herself to her family. She has since published several books, including an autobiography titled Golden Girl, which was a bestseller.
Despite the myth being debunked, the image of the dead, gold-painted girl in Goldfinger remains one of film's most memorable images. Eaton's experience with body paint has not affected her fondness for gold, and she continues to wear the metal often.
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Eaton's character, Jill Masterson, was killed by Auric Goldfinger after she tried to foil his plot
In the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, Shirley Eaton played Jill Masterson, the secretary of the titular villain, Auric Goldfinger. In the film, Goldfinger plans to contaminate the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, but his plot is threatened when Masterson betrays him. In response, Goldfinger kills Masterson by painting her entire body gold, causing her to die of asphyxiation, or "skin suffocation," as Bond describes it.
This method of murder is based on the belief that the human body "breathes" through the skin, and that covering all of one's pores with paint would result in death. However, it is a myth that one can die from being painted gold. In reality, we do not breathe through our skin, and covering the body with paint would not cause asphyxiation. Nonetheless, this scene and Eaton's golden corpse have become iconic in film history.
To create the famous image of Masterson's golden corpse, it took two hours to cover Eaton's body in gold paint. The paint was very hot, but Eaton recalled that she had "fun" with the experience. To ensure Eaton's safety, the production team left a patch of skin on her stomach unpainted, allowing her skin to "breathe." Additionally, doctors were on hand to monitor Eaton for any signs of heat exhaustion or allergic reaction to the paint, but she did not experience any adverse effects.
Eaton's performance as Jill Masterson earned her the distinction of being the first Bond girl, gaining her "bombshell" status and launching her career. She went on to act in several Carry On films and other British films throughout the 1950s and 1960s before retiring from acting in 1969 to focus on her family. In 1999, she published an autobiography titled Golden Girl, which became a bestseller, and has since released several other books, including Under My Skin, which coincided with Goldfinger's golden anniversary in 2014.
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Eaton's performance as Jill Masterson earned her Bond Girl status and she became known as a bombshell
The character of Jill Masterson in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger is famously killed when her body is entirely painted gold, causing her to suffocate through her skin. This method of murder is, of course, fictional, but the scene is one of filmdom's most memorable images. The actress Shirley Eaton, who played Masterson, gained Bond Girl status and became known as a bombshell as a result of her performance. Eaton herself did not suffer any ill effects from the gold paint, despite rumours to the contrary. In fact, she went on to make a few more films before retiring from acting in 1969 to devote herself to her family.
Eaton's performance as Jill Masterson is particularly noteworthy given the enduring popularity of the Bond Girl trope in popular culture. The Bond Girls are known for their beauty and glamour, and often tragic fates. Eaton's character, as Goldfinger's secretary who tries to foil her boss's criminal plot, embodies these characteristics. The image of her golden corpse, displayed everywhere in 1964, including the cover of Life magazine, is both striking and tragic. It is a testament to Eaton's performance that her character has remained so iconic, even though she only appears briefly in the film.
Eaton's experience with the body paint has not affected her fondness for gold. In fact, she has stated that she often wears the metal and has always liked it for its warmth. This positive association with the metal is perhaps another reason why Eaton's performance as Jill Masterson is so memorable. The gold paint itself is an iconic element of the scene, and the fact that Eaton embraced it so fully, rather than being put off by the experience, likely contributes to the scene's enduring power.
In addition to her performance in Goldfinger, Eaton appeared regularly in British films throughout the 1950s and 1960s, including roles in the early Carry On films. However, it is her role as Jill Masterson that remains her most famous and beloved. This is reflected in the title of her 1999 autobiography, Golden Girl, which became a bestseller. Eaton has also published several other books, including a picture book of her film photos and a book of her paintings and sculptures.
Overall, Eaton's performance as Jill Masterson in Goldfinger is a testament to her talent and range as an actress. Her portrayal of the tragic Bond Girl is both memorable and iconic, earning her a lasting place in the history of the franchise and popular culture more broadly.
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Frequently asked questions
The girl painted gold in Goldfinger was Jill Masterson, played by actress Shirley Eaton.
In the film, her character is killed by the villain Auric Goldfinger, who paints her entire body gold, causing her to suffocate through her skin.
No, despite rumours to the contrary, Shirley Eaton did not die or even become ill as a result of her Goldfinger experience. Doctors were on hand during filming in case she suffered an adverse reaction, but she was fine.
After Goldfinger, Eaton made a few more films before retiring from acting in 1969 to devote herself to her family. She came out of retirement in 1999 to release her autobiography, Golden Girl, and has since published several more books.
